Things I will miss about Bhutan

As I am likely leaving Bhutan in a few weeks, after an amazing six months here, here is a little tribute to this beautiful place, some of my favorite things here:

-     Horses parked in my apartment parking lot rather than cars.

-     Cheese balls as currency second only to Ngultrum.

-     So many ways to say OK: ‘laso’, ‘tuptup’, ‘yaya’ ‘laso las’ or just ‘la’.

-     Cow traffic that causes more traffic jams than car traffic.

-     Walking everywhere.

-     One lane highway: the only highway.

-      30 km/hour speed limit: highways or roads, car or horse.

-     Actually enjoying instant coffee, because it’s that or nothing.

-     The scent of marijuana on the breeze from the abundance of ‘weeds’ around.

-     Gardens everywhere.

-     One kind of restaurant: Bhutanese, with some combination of Indian or Chinese dishes, and maybe Korean, Thai or Japanese if you are lucky.

-     Dogs, dogs, and more dogs.  On the sidewalk.  On the side of the road.  Sleeping in the middle of the road.  Literally everywhere.  Only waking up to eat or bark at night.

-     Only Bhutanese movies to choose from.  Suck it, Hollywood.

-     No public advertising!

-     Little to no corporate presence, aside from Coca-Cola bottles.

-     Gho and kira.

-     Smiling kids who can’t resist saying ‘hi’, and think your response is hilarious, no matter what you say.

-     Beautiful old people who’ve yet to step out of the middle ages (and hopefully never will).

-     Excitement at finding imported foods like coconut, peanut butter, corn chips.

-     The view from my apartment over Thimphu.

-     Monasteries on every mountain ridge.

-     Buddhas and Boddhisattvas everywhere, as well as the 8 auspicious symbols, and the 4 protector animals.  Spiritual safety.
-   A monarchy that people still live with the whole of their heart.

-     Living traditional art and cultural traditions: very little modern, secular, ego art.

-     Hiking the Himalaya, out my front doorstep.

-     Astounding birds and butterflies.

-     Being called ‘mister’, ‘sir’, or ‘uncle’ by every child (and many adults) I meet.